| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 1117 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, A life filled with meaningful accomplishments drew |
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| 6 | 6 | | to a close with the passing of Steven Markland Sykes on January 5, |
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| 7 | 7 | | 2021, at the age of 73; and |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, The son of Billie Mae Meserole and Charles Emons |
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| 9 | 9 | | Sykes Jr., Steve Sykes was born in Dallas on November 26, 1947, and |
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| 10 | 10 | | he grew up in the Oak Cliff area with the companionship of five |
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| 11 | 11 | | siblings, Diane, Paul, Pam, Kay, and Cathy; he was captain of the |
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| 12 | 12 | | Knight football team at Justin F. Kimball High School, and he went |
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| 13 | 13 | | on to play football at Southeastern Oklahoma State University |
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| 14 | 14 | | before completing his education at The University of Texas at |
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| 15 | 15 | | Arlington; he embarked on a career as a certified public accountant |
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| 16 | 16 | | and operated his own accounting and investments business for many |
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| 17 | 17 | | years; and |
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| 18 | 18 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Sykes wed the former Frances Kay Bragg in 1980, |
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| 19 | 19 | | and the couple shared a fulfilling union that spanned more than 35 |
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| 20 | 20 | | years until her passing in 2016; a devoted father, he took great |
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| 21 | 21 | | pride in his four children, Christopher Sykes, Eric Sykes, |
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| 22 | 22 | | Christopher Jackson, and Jennifer Sykes Griffin, and with the |
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| 23 | 23 | | passing years, he had the pleasure of seeing his family grow to |
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| 24 | 24 | | include six grandchildren, Alexandra, Jazz, Ashleigh, Miller, |
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| 25 | 25 | | Madison, and McKenzie; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | WHEREAS, In his leisure hours, Mr. Sykes enjoyed reading, |
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| 27 | 27 | | traveling, music, and dining out, and he was an avid golfer, |
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| 28 | 28 | | boasting two holes-in-one at Firewheel Golf Park in Garland; he was |
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| 29 | 29 | | a valued congregant of St. John's Episcopal Church in Dallas, where |
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| 30 | 30 | | he served in the vestry, played on the softball team, and |
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| 31 | 31 | | participated in the men's camping group; and |
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| 32 | 32 | | WHEREAS, Although Steve Sykes is deeply missed, memories of |
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| 33 | 33 | | his keen sense of humor, his abiding faith, and his strength in |
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| 34 | 34 | | providing a firm foundation for his family remain to comfort and |
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| 35 | 35 | | inspire those he leaves behind; now, therefore, be it |
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| 36 | 36 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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| 37 | 37 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Steven Markland Sykes |
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| 38 | 38 | | and extend sincere condolences to all who mourn his passing; and, be |
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| 39 | 39 | | it further |
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| 40 | 40 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 41 | 41 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 42 | 42 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Steve |
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| 43 | 43 | | Sykes. |
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| 44 | 44 | | Bell of Montgomery |
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| 45 | 45 | | ______________________________ |
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| 46 | 46 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 47 | 47 | | I certify that H.R. No. 1117 was unanimously adopted by a |
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| 48 | 48 | | rising vote of the House on April 28, 2023. |
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| 49 | 49 | | ______________________________ |
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| 50 | 50 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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